McCartney sisters demand answers from Sinn Fein over killing

The McCartney sisters yesterday called on Sinn Fein to reveal how many of its general election workers were present when their brother Robert was murdered in a Belfast bar.

They have called on Gerry Adams to answer a series of questions about Sinn Fein's alleged involvement in the incident after it emerged that a Sinn Fein official registered with the Electoral Commission has the same name as the republican identified by the Northern Irish media as one of the main suspects for the crime that has been blamed on the IRA.

The murder in January and the previous month's multi-million pound Northern Bank robbery, which was also attributed to the Provisionals, caused an international outcry that proved embarrassing to Sinn Fein, the IRA's political wing.

The McCartneys' questions were also in response to comments made by Mr Adams in a television interview last week when he said he would do all he could to help the family.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Catherine McCartney said: "I am putting together a list of questions that Sinn Fein have not answered. We met with Gerry Adams on about four occasions.

"They seem to be completely dismissive despite the fact that members were in the bar on the night that Robert was killed. They seem to think it was nothing to do with them and they don't have to answer any questions."

The list of questions asks why no Sinn Fein members went to the police, or the police ombudsman, voluntarily immediately after the killing.

It asks why statements passed on to Nuala O'Loan, the police ombudsman, by Sinn Fein members have not been signed.

It asks Mr Adams to "clarify why it took Sinn Fein two weeks to approach the family after Robert's murder, given that it was common knowledge that some of its members were involved".

Details about Sinn Fein's internal investigation into the incident and the suspension of a number of members in the aftermath of the murder are also being sought by the sisters.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said that information held by the Electoral Commission was a "fairly old list" and added that the official named "is no longer a member of Sinn Fein".

Seven Sinn Fein members were suspended in the aftermath of the murder, but they have not been identified by the party.